Friday, July 30, 2010

The second phase of Metrorail fare adjustments will take effect on Sunday, August 1, with the implementation of a new 20-cent surcharge during peak-of-the-peak weekday travel periods, an increase in the cost of three Metrorail passes and a 25-cent discount per trip for customers who use a SmarTrip® card instead of a paper fare card.

Beginning August 2, Metro will be making a number of changes:

The Weekly Short Trip Pass will be $32.35.

The Weekly Fast Pass will be $47.

The Transit Link Card for MARC and VRE riders will be $102.

Metrorail customers who use a paper fare card instead of a SmarTrip® card will be charged an extra 25 cents.

Because of technology issues, the new 20 peak-of-the-peak morning fare increase between 7:30 and 9 a.m. weekdays will not begin until late August.

There is good news among all the fare increases. Metro is reducing the cost of a SmarTrip® card from $5 to $2.50 starting on August 29 to make it easier for customers to take advantage of SmarTrip® savings. This is the first reduction in the price of the cards since SmarTrip® was introduced in 1999.